We determined the effects of hCG on ovarian response, concentration of progesterone, and fertility in a fixed-timed AI (TAI) protocol. Four hundred and forty-four crossbred beef heifers were synchronized with the CO-Synch + CIDR (controlled internal drug-releasing insert) protocol. In addition, heifers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement of treatments with main factors being: 1) Pretreatment; no treatment or treatment with 1,000 IU hCG 14 d prior to the initiation of the CO-Synch + CIDR protocol; and 2) Treatment; administration of 1,000 IU hCG or 100 µg GnRH at CIDR insertion of the CO-Synch + CIDR protocol. Blood samples were collected from all heifers on d -21, -14, -7, 0, and 2 relative to PGF(2α) injection. Transrectal ultrasonography was used to examine ovaries in a subset of heifers (n = 362) on d -7 and d 0 relative to PGF(2α), and to determine pregnancy status of all heifers on d 33 and d 82 relative to AI. Pregnancy rates were similar for heifers pretreated with control (33.0%) or hCG (36.4%), whereas pregnancy rates were greater (P < 0.01) for heifers treated with GnRH (40.1%) compared with hCG (29.0%) at CIDR insertion. Heifers pretreated with hCG had more (P < 0.01) corpora lutea (CL) present on the day of CIDR insertion and the day of CIDR removal compared with untreated heifers. A greater proportion (P < 0.01) of heifers ovulated as a result of administration of hCG at the time of CIDR insertion (59.0%) compared with GnRH (38.7%). Heifers treated with hCG at CIDR insertion had greater (P < 0.01) concentrations of progesterone compared with those receiving GnRH at the time of CIDR removal (2.42 ± 0.13 vs. 1.74 ± 0.13 ng/mL; P < 0.01) and at TAI (0.52 ± 0.03 vs. 0.39 ± 0.03 ng/mL; P < 0.01). Therefore, hCG was more effective than GnRH in its ability to ovulate follicles, and to increase concentrations of progesterone in beef heifers. Presynchronization with hCG 14 d prior to CIDR insertion did not alter pregnancy rates, whereas replacing GnRH with hCG at CIDR insertion decreased pregnancy rates.